°c 



*& *yW^' J? o &atr*r n o -% •y^ss?'.* J? 



0^ 



a* v . v ' • - ^ cr c • " • * **b a> v . «• ' • , <** c 



^0* 



?7 

A SERMON 



PREACHED IN THE 



United Presbyterian Church, Mansfield, Ohio, 



JAN TJAET 24, 1864. 



BY REV. D. PAUL, 



[PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.] 



MANSFIELD, O. 

PRINTED BY G. T. MYERS & BRO. MANSFIELD HERALD OFFICE. 

1864. 



ET^-5g 



2tf 



Mansfield, O. February 1, 1864. 
Eev. D. Paul, 

Dear Sir : — At a meeting of the United Presbyterian Congregation of 
Mansfield, held this day, it was unanimously agreed to request a copy of your 
sermon preached on the 24th nit., for publication. 
Very respectfully, 

JAMES RAITT, 
JAMES CLARKE, 
MATTHEW M'CONNELL. 

Mansfield, O. February 3, 1864. 
Messrs. Raitt, Clarke & M'Connell: 

The sermon to which you refer is placed at your disposal. It was not pre- 
pared with any reference to publication, and has no inherent value making 
it worthy of such a distinction. It is a plain and simple statement of some 
plain and simple truths. In preparing it for your use I have not omitted 
any important idea. I have added a few sentences where perspicuity or 
strength seemed to demand it. As far as possible the forms of expression em- 
ployed in the pulpit are retained. 

My prayer is that God may own and bless this humble effort in defence of 
truth and right. 

Tours, &c. 

D. PAUL. 



*-Z9 



SERMON. 



• ' Keprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doc- 
trine. For the time will come, when they will not endure 
sound doctrine." 

II Timothy, 4th Chapter, 2d and 3d verses. 

Paul claims to be an apostle, " not of men, neither by man, but by 
Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead." So 
soon as he experienced the power of the grace of God, and was invested 
with apostolical authority by the King and Head of the Church, he 
entered upon the work of an apostle with all the activity of an earnest 
man, and all the energies of his renewed nature. He not only preached 
the gospel of Christ u from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum," 
but, with the pen of a ready writer, he conveyed instruction to those 
churches from which he was bodily absent. To his other labors, he 
seems, to some extent, to have added the work of a theological precep- 
tor. Both Timothy and Titus were prepared for the duties of the 
ministry under his direction. When they were actually engaged in the 
ministerial work, he watched over them with paternal solicitude. To 
Timothy, the youthful preacher, and Paul's beloved son in the Lord, 
the letter from which our text is taken was addressed. But its applica- 
tion is not limited to Timothy, or the times and localities in which he 
labored. Its instructions come not simply with the force of opinions 
expressed by a noble father in the church, but its teachings are 
addressed to all gospel ministers, in all times and countries, by Jesus 
Christ, through the instrumentality of his inspired Apostle. With 
these preliminary remarks, we proceed to the discussion of our text. 

We will notice, 

I. What Timothy is exhorted to do. II. Hoio he is to do it. III. 
Wliy he is to do it. 

I. What Timothy is exhorted to do. "Reprove, rebuke, exhort." 
Scott, in remarking on the three terms here employed, says : " He was 
charged to reprove, with authority, the sins and negligences of professed 



6 

Christians ; to rebuke, with sharpness, those who were guilty of gross 
errors ; and to exhort, persuade and beseech his hearers to attend to 
every part of the divine message with the obedience of faith." It 
seems that preaching has something to do with the life and conduct of 
the professed followers of Jesus ; that the preaching of the pure gospel 
of Jesus Christ consists, not simply in the presentation of its saving 
truths to the careless sinner, but also in reproving with authority, and 
rebuking sharply the sins, negligences, and gross errors of professed 
Christians. When a man is brought into the church, he is brought 
into the school of Christ. He is expected to increase in his knowledge 
of the doctrines and principles of the gospel. It is expected that his 
practice will become more and more conformed to the law of God. To 
this end, as well as for the conversion of unbelieving sinners, pulpit 
ministrations have been appointed. Certain men are set apart, whose 
business it is to give themselves to a prayerful study of God's word, and 
with all the solemnity and earnestness of those who must give an 
account, to declare and enforce the divine message. Whatever the 
law of God condemns, they are bound to condemn. And the law of 
Grod is exceedingly broad and comprehensive. It has precepts intended 
to regulate the conduct of the individual in all the relations of life. If 
husbands and wives, parents and children, rulers and ruled, would learn 
what their duties are, and how to perform them, let them go to the 
Word of God. If men would learn how to regulate their conduct, and 
manage their business in all the affairs of life, so as to glorify God in 
all that they do, let God's law be their study and meditation. And it 
is no meddling in other men's matters, to bring into the pulpit any 
thing which God has put into His law. Without fear or favor, the 
minister must apply this law to men in all their relations and avocations 
in life. He must reprove and rebuke sin wherever he may find it. 
And it is the teaching of common sense that he should reprove and 
rebuke the sin or sins of which any of those to whom he speaks may be 
guilty. If I were preaching to a congregation of drunkards, would I 
be faithful if I should spend all my strength in denouncing Sabbath 
desecration, and never hurl a single bolt at intemperance ? When any 
evil abounds, or is doing, with dreadful power, the devil's work, against 
that particular evil the minister should direct his efforts. If he has 
solemnly vowed, at his ordination, to maintain a certain set of principles, 
und if members of his congregation were being led into the adoption of 
principles directly contradictory thereto, would he be doing his duty to 
utter not a single word of warning ? May members of a church advo- 
cate, in their private intercourse with their fellow members, and with 



2-frf 



the world, principles contrary to their most solemn profession, and must 
the pulpit be silent ? All, I think, will answer, no ! Now, taking it 
for granted, that I have, as yet, passed over none but uncontroverted 
ground, I will pass on to the consideration of the 

II Thing proposed, which was, how the duty enjoined is to be per- 
formed. 

1st. It is to be performed with all long-suffering. Long-suffering 
implies, 1st, perseverance in the performance of duty, notwithstanding 
discouragements and opposition. It is discouraging to a faithful minis- 
ter, when men continue in sin and negligence of duty, despite all his 
rebukes and exhortations ; when many, from whom he expected better 
things, prove unruly, ungrateful, or slow to understand his instructions ; 
and when his opposition to sin is construed into personal enmity. But, 
notwithstanding all these discouragements, he must persevere. Better 
far for him to preach to empty pews, and make tents for a livelihood, 
than to dull the arrows of divine truth, lest they might wound, and to 
debauch his conscience that he may have bread to eat. In the one case 
wicked men may flatter, while they must despise him, and a guilty 
conscience will plant thorns in his softest pillow. In the other case, 
good men are on his side, the smiles of an approving God are his, and 
the testimony of a good conscience supports him. Long-suffering 
implies, 2nd, the possession of a meek and patient spirit. Reproof and 
rebuke should always be administered in love and sorrow, rather than 
in an^er. All parents know that chastisement administered with vio- 
lent demonstrations of anger, is very apt to be more effectual in rousing 
the combativeness of the child than in toning down to pleasant meekness 
his unruly spirit. Angry criminations are not likely to lead to con- 
fession of sin. These principles should be remembered in the adminis- 
tration of either ministerial or judicial reproof in the church. While 
we may be properly indignant at sin, and heat to burning fervor the 
bolts we would hurl at it, we should be full of compassion for the sinner, 
and ready to gather him in the arms of love. Long-suffering implies, 
3d, a bearing long with the evil doer. A man should not be made an 
offender for a word. Nor should a single sinful action, in an otherwise 
consistent church member, be treated with unmitigated severity. Our 
God, while he has declared that he will " by no means clear the guilty," 
has proclaimed himself to be the " Lord, the Lord God, merciful and 
gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and in truth, keeping 
mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin." He 
bears long with sinners. And those who are conscious that God has 



exercised long-suffering and forbearance toward them, and that it is of 
his abundant mercy that they have a name and a place in the visible 
church, will feel constrained to exercise long-suffering and forbearance 
toward their erring fellows. But it should not be forgotten that long- 
suffering with sinners does not imply silence in reference to their sins. 
The injunction is to reprove, rebuJce, and exhort, with all long-suffering. 
The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark 
was preparing, but it waited not in silence. Noah was a preacher of 
righteousness to that rebellious generation. While God bore long with 
the abominations of his ancient people, he bore not in silence. His own 
language is, " I spoke unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye 
heard not." While, therefore, erring professors may rightfully claim 
the exercise of a reasonable degree of long-suffering toward them, it is 
unreasonable for them to ask for long-suffering without either reproof 
or rebuke. Bear in mind, also, that long-suffering does not imply un- 
ending endurance of the offender. Though God bore long with the 
Ante-deluvians, the day of vengeance at last came. Though he bore 
long with his ancient people, yet the time came when he sent to his 
prophets the fearful message, " Pray not thou for this people, neither 
lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I 
will not hear." And ministers and church officers are not required to 
be more forbearing than God. The length of time that we are required 
to bear with the erring professor, is determined by various circumstances. 
If the sin is grossly scandalous, the period of forbearance should be 
shorter. If it is a sin of ignorance, a reasonable time and opportunity 
for obtaining proper information should be given. If the prejudices of 
education and former associations are to be overcome, sufficient time 
should be allowed. The scriptures do not specify any particular num- 
ber of days or weeks, during which the offender may run on untouched 
by the discipline of the church. It only requires certain things to be 
done before he is rejected. Says Paul, in writing to Titus, " A man 
that is an heretic, after the first and second admonitions, reject," leaving 
the time intervening between the admonitions to be determined by 
prudential considerations. The general principle is, that a reasonable 
time for consideration and repentance should be given, and that in this 
time all proper means to bring to consideration and repentance should 
be employed. 

2d. The injunction is to reprove, rebuke and exhort with doctrine. 
A man must not only be told that a certain course of conduct is wrong, 
but an effort should be made to convince him that it is wrong. The 



X?/ 



9 



doctrines and principles of the word of God that apply in that particular 
case should he explained to him. It is desirable that a man should not 
only cease to do evil, but that he should act from conscientious con- 
victions. 

I will now proceed to the 

III Thing proposed, which was, why the duty enjoined should he 
performed. ' : For the time will come when they will not endure sound 
doctrine." Paul, with spiritual vision, saw the sad times that were 
coming on the church. The time was coming, and the ministry of the 
now youthful Timothy would be exercised in that time, when even 
professed Christians would not endure sound doctrine, but would turn 
disgusted from those teachers that persisted in proclaiming unpalatable 
truths, and would seek for teachers who would humor their prejudices, 
and allow them undisturbed to hug their lusts. The exhortation to 
Timothy amounts to about this : " Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all 
long suffering and doctrine. Though men should become offended and 
forsake your ministry — though they should follow false and seducing 
teachers — though they should prefer the grossest falsehood to the 
clearest truth, still proclaim the truth, and apply it with searching 
power to the sins of those whom you address. The very fact that there 
are those who become offended at the truth, is a powerful reason why 
you should be assiduous in proclaiming it." The Apostle, in this 
reasoning, shows his accustomed good sense, to say nothing of the fact 
that he spake as he was moved by the Holy Ghost. If you are afflicted 
with the tooth-ache, and are uncertain what tooth gives you pain, the 
dentist presses on the several suspicious looking teeth, and when he 
finds one that is very sensitive, that cannot endure to be touched, he 
concludes that in that particular spot his professional services are 
needed. When a physician examines a suffering patient, if he finds any 
particular organ that is peculiarly sensitive, he addresses his remedies 
to that organ. Just so it is with ministers of the gospel. They, under 
Jesus Christ, the great physician of souls, are engaged in administering 
remedies to a sin-sick world. The truths of God's word are the reme- 
dies they employ. But, forsooth, under the power of a certain truth 
some individual flinches. That truth strikes a tender spot. The 
presence of moral disease is thus proclaimed. The application of the 
remedy is needed. But the patient is restive. He threatens to hear 
no more truths, if that particular truth is not withheld. " I am," says 
he, " exceedingly sensitive in the point which that truth touches, and 
there are many others similarly affected. There will be trouble if you 



10 

preach on that subject any more." Now shall the minister say, il Well, 
well, I know you need that particular truth to be impressed on your 
mind until you know and feel its power. I know you will never be 
what you should be until the peculiar sensitiveness of which you com- 
plain is remedied. I know that the truth to which you object is one of 
vast importance, and your sensitiveness shows tbat it is the truth which 
you need. But, rather than incur your displeasure, I am willing to 
disregard the terms of my commission, which runs thus : ' Go get thee 
unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them and tell them, 
Thus saith the Lord, whether they will hear or whether they will 
forbear.' I am willing to incur the wrath of God, and imperil my 
eternal interests, rather than incur your displeasure and imperil my 
temporal support." how you would despise such a preacher ! You 
would think you did God service to love to hate him. 

I have now noticed, as briefly as possible, the truths presented in the 
text, and were I to consult my feelings, I would leave tbe application 
to be made by yourselves. But as there are many applications which 
might properly be made of the truths this day presented, it seems 
necessary for me to make the special application, if any such application 
is intended. And, verily, I have a special object in view. Two dis- 
ciples once said to the risen but then unknown Saviour, u Art thou only 
a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things that are come 
to pass there in these days ?" In like manner we might now ask, 
" Art thou but a stranger in the American churches, and dost not know 
the particular truth in reference to which many are exceedingly sensi- 
tive — the particular sin which it is said should not be denounced from 
the pulpit ?" Need I name slavery ? The church with which we stand 
connected, has published to the world, as its solemn belief, the following 
declaration : 

" We declare, That slaveholding — that is, the holding of unoffending 
human beings in involuntary bondage, and considering and treating 
them as property, and subject to be bought and sold — is a violation of 
the law of God, and contrary both to the letter and spirit of Christi- 
anity." As a church, we believe that " we have, in the law of God, and 
in the letter and spirit of Christianity, abundant reasons for testifying 
against slaveholding, as a sin, and consequently a disqualification for 
membership in the Church of Christ." Though it is altogether desira- 
ble that — in these times, when traitors would lay in ruins that temple 
which our fathers erected, and consecrated to freedom with their blood, 
and would build on the national domain another temple, founded on the 



2*7t- 



11 



crimes and woes of human bondage, and consecrated to slavery with the 
blood of our noblest sons — in these times when our most benign o- y- 
ernment, in striking for that life which the matricide would destroy 
strikes for the freedom of those whose cries have risen up against us 
and entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth — in these times when 
it is written, as with a sunbeam, by the march of providential events, 
that either American slavery or America's liberty, honor, and noblest 
institutions, must die — though it is altogether desirable that, in these 
times, all who have a name in the church should unite in maintaining 
her ground on slavery, still that charity that suffereth long must not be 
denied her rightful claims. In all churches there must be allowed some 
latitude of opinion on points which do not lie at the foundation of 
Christianity. While that " forbearance in love which is required by 
the law of God," may be exercised towards those who cannot fully sub- 
scribe to all that is written in the church's standards, still forbearance 
is only extended to those who " do not determinedly oppose" the prin- 
ciples of the church, "but follow the things which make for peace, and 
things wherewith one may edify another." It is clear, then, that those 
who determinedly oppose the principles of the church on slavery, have 
no right to expect that forbearance will be extended to them. When 
our country was found engaged in a desperate and bloody stru«o-l e with 
a pro-slavery rebellion, it was to be expected that a church which had 
explicitly declared slavehoiding to be a violation of the law of God and 
contrary both to the letter and spirit of Christianity, would be found 
yielding a hearty support to all those measures of the Government which 
would tend not only to crush the rebellion, but also to obliterate the sin 
of slavery. But after the emancipation policy of the administration was 
announced, we find a party, bearing the old and honored name, Demo- 
crat, denouncing, in unmeasured terms, what it styled the " Abolition 
Policy of the Government." Abolition preachers and abolition churches 
came in for a full share of abuse. Members of the United Presbyterian 
Church were found acting with a party which was engaged in violently 
denouncing principles which they had solemnly vowed to maintain, or 
at least were bound not to oppose. There appeared as the standard 
bearer of this party in Ohio, a man who was putting forth all his efforts, 
and employing all his influence, to crush out abolition sentiment in th e 
North. Is it, then, strange that the question should have been asked, 
Are those who act with this party, consistent members of the United 
Presbyterian Church? And is it strange that the Synod of Ohio 
should have answered such a question in the following lan^uao-e: "It is 
the duty of every citizen, in the use of the elective power, in all ques- 



12 

tions affecting the moral character and conduct of civil government, to 
be guided solely by the principles of the moral law. It is especially the 
duty of Christians, who are under the highest obligations to seek the 
true peace and prosperity of that nation with whom God has cast their 
lot, to labor in the employment of their votes and all their influence to 
.cause the righteous to bear rule, that the people may rejoice For the 
right use of his vote and influence, every citizen is held responsible 
■before the bar of the Divine Lawgiver. The consequences of a persis- 
tent opposition to these principles, will adhere to the individual eter. 
nally. It is, therefore, the province of the church, into whose han<l< is 
committed the application of the law of God to all the relations of life, 
• to require of her members the practical recognition of those principles 
in the discharge of all their civil duties. 

It is, at the same time, the duty of the church carefully to avoid 
■meddling with mere political party issues in which there are no moral 
questions involved. In answer to the petitioners, your committee pre- 
sent the following resolutions, viz : 

Resolved, 1st, That it is not the duty of this Synod to determine what are the 
precise qualifications of any particular man who may be proposed for civil 
office, but simply to affirm the principles which should govern those under 
her authority, in judging of the qualifications of any man who may claim 
.their suffrages. 

Resolved, 2d, That it is inconsistent with the law of God, and the principles 
of the United Presbyterian Church, to vote into civil office, 1st, Those who, 
irom their known pro-slavery sentiments, would employ their official power 
; and influence in favor of slavery, or, 2d, Those who, from their known sym- 
■ pathy with those in rebellion against lawful authority, would employ their 
■official power and influence in support of treason and resistance to such lawful 
authority. 

Resolved, 3d, That it is an act of insubordination, leading to actual resist- 
ance to the Government, to vote for those who have been regularly convicted 
of crime, and are held under penalty, and are ineligible to civil office by the 
authority of the Government. 

Resolved, 4th, That the application of these principles, in the exercise of 
discipline, belongs to the Sessions of the Church. 

It was further resolved : 

"That Pastors be directed to read the above report in their congregations, 
on the earliest opportunity." 

The first opportunity afforded me for reading this report was on one 
of the days preparatory to our last communion. I then said, " This is 
simply the declaration of what the Synod believes to be the principles 



^7$ 



13 



of the church. It excludes none from church privileges, unless they 
should he so determinedly opposed to those principles that they cannot 
conscientiously enjoy privileges in a church holding them. In view of 
the fact that we have just passed through a very exciting political cam- 
paign, and are now in the midst of the solemnities of a communion 
season, further remarks would he inappropriate." Now we are not 
engaged in a political canvass. I presume no one can tell the princi- 
ples which will enter into the next campaign. I hope no member of 
this congregation is so wedded to a party name, as to be determined 
beforehand to act with the party bearing; it, irrespective of the princi- 
ples for which it may contend. Therefore I, with the knowledge and 
concurrence of the session, take this opportunity to say. that, for past 
political action we will arraign no man — that our determination, here- 
after as heretofore, is to avoid meddling with mere political issues be- 
tween opposing parties — but that action and co-operation with any polit- 
ical party which shall array itself against any of the principles of the 
church, principles which we have vowed to maintain, and which we 
believe to have been drawn from the word of God, shall be held and 
considered as determined opposition to the principles of the church, 
and the person so acting shall be regarded as a proper subject for church 
discipline. We also wish it distinctly to be understood that all those 
who, on the coming communion occasion, shall take their seats at the 
Lord's table, will be considered as thus publicly declaring that hereafter 
they will not be found, either by word or action, determinedly opposing 
the principles of the church on slavery. This is the least faithfulness 
will permit us to do. 

Now, my dear friends permit me, simply as your pastor, to say, with 
all earnestness, that I have no sympathy with political preachers, and no 
disposition to drag mere party politics into the pulpit. But when a 
moral question becomes a cpuestion at issue between political parties, 
that fact does not, and shall not close my mouth. If in opposing 
what I believe to be a giant, God-dishonoring crime, I oppose a political 
party, so be it. If any political party shall- array itself against the 
principles which I have vowed to maintain, and which I believe to be 
in accordance with the word of God, I will pay my vow to God, even if 
I should stand accused of political preaching. If in so doing I should 
be compelled to part with those whose friendship I value, and whose 
kindness I have experienced I shall be filled with grief, but not torn 
with remorse. But need there be any parting ? Are there any here 
who would prefer a political party to the church of God ? If you for- 



14 

sake the communion of this church on account of its opposition to 
slavery, in all this free north where will you lind a more congenial home ? 
Would you cling- to an institution whose death doom God has written 
in letters of fire and blood ? Would you re-fasten the shackles on limbs 
from which they have been broken by the fortunes of war ? Would 
you hurl back to chains and slavery those who, side by side with the 
nation's nobles, have met in the shock of battle, and driven back, the 
traitorous foe ? Would you, if you could, arrest the progress of events 
which promise, though with toil and suffering now, to leave to coming 
generations a constitution and a union, without that institution which 
had risen in power and influence, and the audacity of crime, until, like 
a spire tipped tower it pierced the clouds of Jehovah's wrath, calling 
down their scathing lightnings on the heritage our fathers left us? We 
are persuaded better things of you ! 



* W 6 







- vv^ v-v 













